Previously published:
Date: Saturday, August 5, 2006
Venue: American Airlines Arena - Miami, FL (Live Nation)
Gross: $1,074,620
Attendance/Capacity of Building: 13,156 / 13,156
Sellout %: 100%
Ticket Price Range: $129.50 - $19.50

Date: Monday, August 7, 2006
Venue: St. Pete's Times Forum - Tampa, FL (Live Nation)
Gross: $714,455
Attendance/Capacity of Building: 13,354 / 13,542
Sellout %: 98.6%
Ticket Price Range: $125.00 - $19.50

Date: Wednesday, August 9, 2006
Venue: Philips Arena - Atlanta, GA (Live Nation)
Gross: $660,595
Attendance/Capacity of Building: 11,226 / 13,288
Sellout %: 84.5%
Ticket Price Range: $129.00 - $19.50

Total Gross: $3,429,372
Source: Billboard - Mariah Daily
Posted on August the 30th.

The chart beauty was preparing to greet 20,000 fans in Madison Square Garden last Wednesday when a special envoy arrived, dispatched by Prince Azim, the son of the Sultan of Brunei, who's worth £25billion. 

"We were sent by private jet to deliver this gift," a representative of the 24-yearold, who's third in line to the Sultanate, announced - as he presented an eight-carat flawless diamond and platinum necklace and matching ring.

It sure beats a bunch of wilting roses from a garage forecourt! 

Overjoyed by the gift, the singer, who has sold more than 100 million records, channelled her pleasure into a fabulous show. 

Her amazing set featured 18 hits and guest appearances from rap moguls Diddy and Jay-Z, who was so impressed by the diva's glassshattering vocals that he bowed down to Mariah on stage. 

Highlights included Fly Like A Bird, featuring a full gospel choir, and Dream Lover, which was dedicated to rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard who died following a drugs overdose in 2004. 

Fan Jake Wheelan from New Jersey, told us: "I came to see Madonna a few weeks ago and paid $360 (£190) for my ticket. 

"Here, I've got the best seats for less than half the price - and the show's 100 times more fun." 

The generous superstar was so thrilled to be back in her home city she splashed out £30,000 on Cristal champagne for her family and friends - including 3am - at an exclusive aftershow bash. More than 150 revellers, including her brother Morgan and former opera singer mum Patricia, helped Mariah celebrate her triumph. 

Sipping a glass of Pinot Grigio wine - "Champagne's bad for my voice so I can't have any on tour. Make sure you have some, though!" 

- Mariah told us she's sleeping for 15 hours a day in a humidification chamber. 

It is to ensure her eight-octave voice can survive the rigours of her Adventures Of Mimi tour. 

Breaking doctor's orders to speak exclusively to us as we partied till 4am at New York's 77 bar, she said: "I sleep in a room full of humidifiers and am on total voice rest between shows - I'm not even supposed to speak.

"It's very hard but this tour means a lot to me and I want everyone who comes to have an amazing time." 

Reflecting on her astonishing comeback - her Emancipation Of Mimi album was the biggest-selling record of 2005, just three years after she was paid £15million to quit Virgin Records - she said: "Before I go on stage I try not to think about the dark times or it can all get too much. 

"I know I'm blessed and I'm grateful to every person that stuck by me." 

She went on: "I wish I could take this tour to the UK - I love that place, but the timing just didn't work. 
"I've got to start filming a movie called Tennessee later this year, then I start work on a new album.
"The UK fans are some of my favourites, though, and I want to get back there as soon as I can." You and us both, Mimi! 
Source: 3AM (All rights reserved)
Posted on August the 30th.

The pop diva gave a show that lasted just 75 minutes and, more unbelievably, she was off stage for about 15 of those minutes. And this for an event with a top ticket price of $150 and "cheap" seats going for $90.

It's a shame, too, because it was quite the spectacle while it lasted. Although I can't claim to be a big fan of the singer, I was interested in checking out a big-time pop concert where I wouldn't leave wondering whether the singer was actually singing.

When she was on stage, Carey delivered a nice run-through of songs from her latest multi-platinum album, The Emancipation of Mimi, and a few of her older hits.

Obviously, a lot of money was spent on the stage, which, dare I say it, glittered. There also was a full band and a handful of dancers with her and a large screen so she could sing along to the videos of the hip-hop stars (Jermaine Dupri, Jay-Z, Missy Elliott, etc.) that appeared on her songs. The concert itself was great fun and Carey almost had me forgetting the traffic nightmares on the way to the casino and the fact that the show started a half-hour late. I even thought her giving the spotlight to singer Trey Lorenz for three songs was just a minor annoyance. But the major annoyance was yet to come.

After she performed "We Belong Together," she said her goodbyes to the crowd and left the stage to get ready for an encore that would send everybody home feeling thoroughly entertained.

It was an encore that would not happen.

There was a feeling of confusion throughout the arena when the house lights went up. Could that really have been the end of the concert? Did I really pay $150 for that?

Again, the answers were "Yes" and "Yes."

It's just too bad that Carey decided to shortchange her audience in this way. It took what was shaping up to be a perfectly fine evening and left her fans feeling a bit cheated.

What a rotten thing to do.

The set list
It's Like That/Heartbreaker/Dreamlover/Shake It Off/Stay the Night/I'll Be There/Fantasy/Don't Forget About Us/Always Be My Baby/Honey/I Wish You Knew/Hero/We Belong Together 
Source: Connecticut Post (All rights reserved)
Posted on August the 29th.

It wasn't the people at the gaming tables or those in front of the blinking slot machines, but everyone sitting in the arena for Mariah Carey's concert. 

Oh, where does one begin? How about she was a half hour late coming to the stage? Or that she did three costume changes in a matter of minutes? Or maybe that her deejay played more songs than she performed. 

No, I think you really want to know that many of Ms. Carey's fans shelled out $150, that's ONE HUNDRED FIFTY smackers, for a show that lasted barely an hour. Don't believe it? Here's how it went down: 

8:34 p.m., the curtain comes up and the audience is treated to a two-minute video about how Ms. Carey's life is similar to a roller coaster. She performs "It's Like That," "Heartbreaker," and "Dream Lover," the last with a hot Biggie Smalls remix to "Juicy" before she leaves the stage. While she's gone, no music is played and the audience just sits and waits.

Ms. Carey returns wearing the same outfit, but has added a pair of dark shades to the ensemble. What was the point in leaving? One more song, and then she leaves again. 

Her deejay plays nine or 10 old school cuts, then she returns and performs two more songs, including a duet with Trey Lorenz. 

Then, by this time I could barely contain myself, Ms. Carey had the audacity to leave the stage. Again. 

Lorenz takes over and performs three songs. Ms. Carey returns to perform four more songs, then there's another deejay interlude. The Diva reemerges to sing the last verse and chorus of "How I Love You, Baby" along with "Hero" and "We Belong Together." At 9:45 p.m., the chorus of "Butterfly" comes on, Ms. Carey tells the crowd how much she loves us and exits. She should have just rolled her eyes, snapped her fingers and said, "Don't even think about asking me to sing another song!" Then, we really couldn't have been mad at her because she warned us. 

But she didn't. Not only did her backup singers and band walk off the stage, but the house lights came on. 

No chance for an encore or for the fans to chant or shout her name. All you saw were mouths hanging open and heads shaking in disbelief. A sampling of the exit polls: 

"I spent $300," said the couple sitting behind us. "I could have lost that on the table, brother." 

"We came for Mary J. Blige. She did two hours and barely left the stage," said another lady. 

Ms. Carey, you did a disservice to your fans. The next time you think about coming back to the Constitution State, think about the sour taste you left in our mouths. Everyone in that audience deserves a refund. And you owe Connecticut an apology.
Source: The Day - Brad - Mariah Daily
Posted on August the 28th.

She had the crowd on her side (they quickly turned), a major production (dancers, singers, live band, and a half dozen video screens) and the goodwill that comes with successfully executing a viable "comeback." 
Things looked bleak for Carey at the turn of the century when she split with music executive Tommy Mottola, flamed out in an attempted movie career with the laughable "Glitter," and was dumped by Virgin Records. Her recent "The Emancipation of Mimi" release has put her back on the charts. The corresponding "Adventures of Mimi" tour could return her to punch line land. 
What's longer than a Mariah Carey concert? Just about anything. 
The show started with Carey narrating a video about her "rollercoaster" life before the curtains opened to reveal Carey in revealing short shorts and bikini top singing "It's Like That." 
Rapper Jay-Z joined in via video screen during "Heartbreaker" and Carey carefully walked down a grand staircase to the bottom half of the multi-tiered stage to sing "Dreamlover." 
There were a couple of diva-like moments, particularly when Carey admonished a crew member between songs. 
"Get that light off me you dummy," she said, before remembering her microphone was operable. "Oops, just kidding." 
After a strong cover of the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There," sung as a duet with backup singer Trey Lorenz, Carey left the stage to let Lorenz solo for three songs. 
While the performances, two covers of Luther Vandross and a reprisal of the current Gnarls Barkley hit "Crazy," were entertaining, giving a backup singer eight minutes in the middle of a show is just a bad idea. 
Carey returned in one of the five costumes she donned for the event, and worked through hits like "Hero," "Fantasy," and "Honey." She closed the show with "We Belong Together" and did not return for an encore. 
Source: The Republican (All rights reserved)
Posted on August the 28th.

Heroes of Mariah bientôt en français aussi!
Suite à une forte demande, Heroes of Mariah aura une section de nouvelles en français pour bien sûr tous les francophones du monde, je vais essayer de faire de mon mieux pour vous traduire l'essentiel des nouvelles mondiales et vous donner les 
nouvelles relatives aux pays francophones.  Alors que vous soyez Belges francophones, Français, Canadiens francophones, Suisses francophones, enfin tous les fans parlant français, ceci sera pour vous.
Apparemment mon style vous plait, alors on n'y changera rien.  Immense tendresse pour Mariah, un support inconditionnel, de l'humour et des coups de gueule, ça vous va?  Rendez-vous bientôt 
Posted on August the 27th.

Anderson and her fiance, 32-year-old Tony Neve of Nashua, were treated to Carey’s concert at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston on Monday night. Right after Carey finished performing, Carey herself handed the keys to the new wheels to Anderson.
When the Danvers, Mass., Ira Mazda dealership offered to buy the car back, Anderson, a labor and delivery nurse at the Elliott Hospital in Manchester, happily accepted. She is using a portion of the $18,500 check to cover her wedding expenses.
The big day is Sept. 30. She and Neve are tying the knot in Scarborough, Maine.
“It felt like a gift,” said Anderson. “It took off a lot of stress from my family, because my family always wanted to give me a dream wedding.”

Meeting Mariah Carey was a bonus.
“I’m not a super-huge fan, I don’t have any of her CDs or anything . . . but it was pretty surreal,” Anderson said.
Carey gave both Anderson and Neve hugs before posing for photos.
“She was bigger and taller than I thought she would be,” Anderson said.
During the picture-taking, Anderson said Carey kept running over to look at the digital camera to see how the snapshots came out.
“She didn’t like a couple of the pictures, so she had us erase stuff,” Anderson said. “She straightened out my hair and fixed Tony’s collar and made sure we looked OK.”
Anderson had a ball meeting the diva, as did her fiance.
“He asked her for a second hug on the way out,” she said.
Source: Nashua Telegraph (All rights reserved)
Posted on August the 26th.

Mariah is very laid-back, and talks to her audience as if they are sitting next to her at a table in a restaurant. Some people think that's too casual an approach. But . . . yes, the fans love her intimate chatting. She is a sweet girl, who had a rough childhood, adolescence and young adulthood, including a tempestuous marriage to Tommy Mottola. Her stardom and those fans mean everything to her, and it's obvious in every breath she takes. 
Source: Liz Smith for the New York Post (All rights reserved)
Posted on August the 25th.

Welcome to a night in the life of Mariah Carey. 

The voluptuous singer - who, despite being a hometown girl, rarely plays the city - spun a greatest-hits set for fans at the Garden Wednesday night that featured soaring vocals, questionable fashion decisions and a little help from her rap mogul friends - Jay-Z and Sean Combs. 

Besides her abilities to overcome personal adversity and hit glass-breaking notes so high only bats and dogs can hear her, Carey has the skill to make people smile. 

No, really. 

One just had to look at the fans sitting nearby. All had this non-New York goofy grin that made them appear as if they just got to go to Camp Mariah for vacation. 

It wasn't just the women in the house, many of whom have actually benefited from Carey's long-established summer camp program for girls, or the guys who ogled the singer's boudoir booty display. Stone-faced Jay-Z, a guy who only shows his teeth to clench a Cuban, was grinning the biggest, dopiest schoolboy smile as he worked an early-show duet of "Heartbreaker" with Carey. 

At the close of the tune, the rapper, who bows to no one, kowtowed to Carey with outstretched arms and a crooked smile - their chemistry was terrific. 

Minus the terrific chemistry, much the same could be said of Combs, who ran out of the wings to join Carey in the final throes of her hit "Honey." Combs popped a few "yo yos," gave a shout-out to the greater metropolitan area, folded his arms and eyeballed Carey over the tops of his shades. 

Carey was thrilled that he joined her, but he added little to the performance beyond the puffiness of his ego. 

Part of the charm of Carey's show was the general looseness of the concert. The two-level stage looked used, as if it had been picked up cheap in the Czech Republic. The between-song DJ-ing lent the affair the air of a bad bridge and tunnel club. Carey even had to stop the show at one point because a clergyman she invited to do the spoken-word part of "Fly Like a Bird" missed his cue and had to be found backstage and ushered into the spotlight. 

But M.C.'s deal isn't about cheesy sets, weird fashion or even celebrity guest stars. It's about the voice. And for the first five songs, including her duet with Jay-Z, Carey didn't blow anyone away. 

Where she finally found her groove was when she reprised her first No. 1 single, "Vision of Love." She warbled through the lows and used all of her five octaves to reach the song's summit. 

Who knew the word "love" could be stretched and contorted into an opus unto itself? She managed to repeat that performance passion during her late show rendition of "Hero." 

At 36, Carey seems to be very comfortable in her own skin. She was relaxed throughout her 20-song set, which featured a good but not great cover of the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There." Other fan favorites included "Fantasy," "Don't Forget About Me" and "Always Be My Baby," which Carey performed from a secondary stage set up on the floor at the center of the Garden. 

Carey did make a mistake by giving up a chunk of the middle of her set to backup singer Trey Lorenz. Despite his ability to carry a tune, Lorenz was unable to command the audience, and his mid-show mini-set just put sand in the concert's gears. 

Still, this was a very successful, fan-pleasing concert that made you wonder why Carey doesn't play her hometown more often.
Source: New York Post (All rights reserved)
Posted on August the 25th.

For instance: "Sometimes life can be kind of like a roller coaster." And, from time to time we all get "a moment of peace." Also, our lives are "part of God's bigger plan." And finally, inevitably, "Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

At the time it seemed as if Ms. Carey was talking about the ups and downs or her life and career. Her recent years in the music-industry wilderness are by now a big part of the Myth of Mariah, even though in retrospect they don’t seem all that dire. "Glitter," the movie and the album, were absolute bombs, but the semi-successful follow-up album, "Charmbracelet," was pretty good, and it demonstrated that there would probably always be a million or so people willing to buy a pretty-good Mariah Carey album. Still, it was last year's "Emancipation of Mimi" (Island Def Jam) that really put her back on top, and she's clearly relieved. During Wednesday's concert two of the most effusive dedications went to L. A. Reid and Doug Morris, the executives who helped make "Mimi" last year's best-selling CD.

How could we have known, at the beginning of a totally entertaining and slightly weird night, that Ms. Carey's clichés would come true, right there onstage? The show included a few guest appearances (Jay-Z and Da Brat during "Heartbreaker"; Diddy during "Honey"), lots of ovations and all the costume changes you'd expect. But it also gave Ms. Carey a chance to demonstrate her singular talent for embellishment, vocal and otherwise. Give her a molehill, she'll make you a mountain. Give her a chance for a concert that should be a victory lap, she'll make it feel more like - yes - a roller coaster. There were plenty of not-quite-life-threatening ordeals that must have made Ms. Carey stronger.

She chided DJ Clue, who had his own podium next to her band, when she mentioned his name and he didn't respond with an appreciative scratch or shout-out. She saw an expression she didn't like on the ever-smiling face of Trey Lorenz, her duet partner (for the Jackson 5 hit "I'll Be There"), and wondered aloud whether he was in a bad mood. And before nearly every song, she fretted about the dire threat of throat-parchedness; luckily, her water bottle was usually in exactly the right place.

Her concert, like the great "Mimi" album, emphasized club jams over ballads. Early on, a show-stopping rendition of "My All" came back to life as a thumping house track. And she often emphasized the extremes of her vocal range: the smoky low notes and the smoke-alarmy high ones.

Throughout, she betrayed a charming anxiety about pleasing the crowd. After "Vision of Love," the song that made her a star, she said, "At first I wasn't doing my first single, 'cause I was like, I don't know if people want to hear it, or whatever." And before "Don't Forget About Us," she said, "Thank you for making this my 17th No. 1 single." But who's counting?

In recognition of the importance of following God's plan, perhaps, she sang "Make It Happen," a bombastic disco-gospel inspirational that compresses many of her tendencies into a four-minute song. And she tried her best to stick to the plan during "Fly Like a Bird," which was supposed to begin with a few words from a pastor. Ahem. Pastor? For a few tense, strange minutes he was nowhere to be found.

"I'm not trying to be a diva," Ms. Carey said, adding, ominously, "We went over this." Eventually he showed up: another crisis averted.

Near the end, Ms. Carey sang "Hero," and she dedicated it to a friend whose father had recently died. She seemed to tear up, so she made a request: "If you want, sing along with me."

In true Mariah Carey style, she sang that request instead of saying it. And in even truer Mariah Carey style, she added some further instructions: "Just for the first part. So I can get it together."

And the crowd followed her instructions to the letter. Surely that qualifies as a moment of peace.
Source: The New York Times (All rights reserved)
Posted on August the 25th.

To say that Mariah Carey has gone through some hard times is an understatement: She spent the late 1990s and the first half of this decade dodging rumors of suicide attempts and mental breakdowns. On top of that, she suffered from mediocre record sales and the seeming lack of a good fashion stylist. She giggled and rambled during live public appearances, and in an episode of MTV's "Cribs," she spent an hour touring her New York penthouse, changing outfits for every scene, dunking herself in a tub of bubbles, and hopping on a fitness machine in plastic high-heels. In short, she didn't seem together. At all. But the public's memory is fickle, and those tough times made it easy to forget that in the 1990s Ms. Carey had broken nearly every important musical record for a solo female artist.

Her self-titled debut album, released in 1990, landed four no. 1 singles, including the legendary ballad "Vision of Love." Ms. Carey balanced balladry and adult contemporary pop with a deft hand at songwriting and a five-octave voice that she could manipulate into any mood she wanted. Her next effort, 1993's "Music Box," was a perfect example of the balance she could achieve.The singles "Dreamlover" and "Hero" were complete opposites: "Hero" was an indulgent, Josh Grobanesque ballad full of sentimental, heartwarming proclamations, while "Dreamlover" was a sexy come hither pop song. Until 1997, Ms. Carey kept up her success, showcasing her maturing songwriting and production skills on singles like "Fantasy" and "Always Be My Baby."

"Butterfly," from 1997, was Ms. Carey's hip-hop breakthrough: Although the first single from that album, "Honey," produced by P. Diddy, was smart and succinct, her early relationship with hip-hop was ultimately rocky. The albums "Rainbow," "Glitter," and "Charmbracelet" were forgettable. Ms. Carey needed help musically and personally. Her call for rescue was clouded by her continually weird antics, and the debacle of signing the biggest record contract ever — $80 million with Virgin Records — only to be dumped by the label after one release.

It was easy to think, early in this decade, that Ms. Carey wouldn't bounce back — in fact, it was probably easier to think that the singer and her ballads were dead and gone, relegated to the video cycle on VH1 Classic, than to imagine her gathering the energy to make another comeback. But this is a singer-songwriter who was the first female artist to debut at no. 1 on the singles charts. Not even Whitney Houston did that. And she did it her own way. On the song "Fantasy" she used a Tom Tom Club sample. Now, she could have gone mainstream and used a Talking Heads sample, but instead she went obscure — and she hit gold. Why couldn't she bounce back with pay dirt?

With last year's "The Emancipation of Mimi," she did just that. The songwriting skills of the hip-hop extraordinaire Jermaine Dupri helped Ms. Carey hold her own for the first time in her hip-hop career.Like other vocalists, such as Mary J. Blige, Ms. Carey used Mr. Dupri's uncomplicated lyrics to her vocal advantage, carrying songs like "We Belong Together" to emotional arcs without going overboard. Remixes of "Shake It Off" and "It's Like That" appeared on multiple mix tapes, further legitimizing her return.

Unsurprisingly, this comeback was accompanied by doubts about whether or not she would succeed, as well as by even more than usual criticisms of her appearance. Sure, her dresses are a little too short sometimes, but "Mimi" proved that despite such slip ups, her musical abilities are still as strong as ever.

As she swings through the East Coast on her current tour (appearing at Jones Beach during Labor Day weekend), fans can step back and appreciate the struggles that Ms. Carey went through to get to where she is now. Wearing a black bandeau on stage is probably not the best idea for an outdoor concert, but as long as she can belt out "Vision of Love" and "We Belong Together" in the same set, she is still a musical force to be reckoned with.

August 27 at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J., and September 3 at the Nikon Jones Beach Theater.
Source: The New York Sun (All rights reserved)
Posted on August the 25th.

At the start of last night's concert at Madison Square Garden, she showed a video of a rollercoaster, and discussed the "ups and downs" and "twists and turns" of her life, concluding: "It's all part of God's bigger plan for me" and that "whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger." 

The show had all the ingredients for a triumphant homecoming. Carey's voice was as strong as ever, and she hit her famous high notes with ease. The house was full, and - reflecting the turn toward hip-hop Carey took with "The Emancipation of Mimi" -- rappers Jay-Z, P. Diddy, Da Brat and Jadakiss made surprise guest appearances. (Other rappers, including the late Ol' Dirty Bastard, "collaborated" with Carey via video.) 

Still, it felt like something was missing. 

Carey doesn't present an overwhelming visual spectacle like Madonna or Janet Jackson. And while there were some exciting musical moments -- usually at a song's climax, where her voice explored a sonic stratosphere her contemporaries simply can't reach -- she often seemed to be going through the motions between them. And the show had too many breaks in the action (dance interludes, DJ mini-sets) to gather much momentum. 

The evening peaked with "Fly Like a Bird," where the presence of a 40-member gospel choir seemed to pump Carey up. This number also had an awkward moment, though, when a pastor who was supposed to deliver a spoken intro didn't show up, and Carey, clearly annoyed, had to stop the song and wait until he could be found. 

"This is not staged," said Carey, who also mused, "Maybe he didn't like a first outfit." She had worn a black bikini, under a sheer cape, with stiletto heels, at the start of the show, though at this point, she had changed into a more modest gown. 

Another highlight was the pop confection "Fantasy," performed on a small stage in the middle of the arena. The moody, understated "My All" was a nice break from Carey's usual bombast, though she repeatedly returned to surging power ballads, including "Hero" and "We Belong Together." 

Jay-Z made his appearance early on, rapping on "Heartbreaker," but the crowd cheered so heartily it was almost impossible to hear him. As Carey sang, he graciously bowed and waved his arms, as if to say, "We are not worthy." 

P. Diddy showed up later in the show, taking the stage for part of "Honey," but didn't do any actual rapping. 

Trey Lorenz, who sang with Mariah on her 1992 cover of the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There" and is in Carey's current band as a backing vocalist, stepped out front to help her with this song. He also accompanied her later in the show, on a medley of hits, and performed his own medley during one of her costume changes. 

Lorenz, who announced that his next album will be called "Mimi Presents Trey Lorenz," pointed out that Carey's '95 hit "One Sweet Day" still holds the record for most weeks at No. 1, while Carey herself, earlier in the show, had identified "Don't Forget About Us" as her 17th No. 1 hit. This was something that divas really shouldn't do: remind people how mind-bogglingly popular they are. 

It seemed as if Carey, despite her success, is still experiencing some nagging insecurity. That's the thing about rollercoasters: there are moments of calms, but you always have to brace for the jolts to come. 
Source: The Star-Ledger (All rights reserved)
Posted on August the 24th.

Those emulating their favorite star can injure their voices if they force hitting those shrill notes, or even low ones below what comes comfortably, experts advise. Aspiring artists should develop their own, individual sound and skills, they say. People aren't just born with powerful voices and the ability to sing regularly and comfortably in whistle range, the highest register of the human voice, as Carey can.

Carey boldly promotes her instrument in the title of her current, 40-city world sojourn, "The Adventures of Mimi: The Voice, The Hits, The Tour," which makes its only Connecticut stop Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Some credit genetics, even destiny, in Carey's fairy tale-like rise to fame. Born to an opera singer mother who named her for Lerner and Loewe's 1951 Broadway song, "They Call the Wind Mariah," Carey later wed, and divorced, Sony Music President Tommy Motolla.

True singing stars like Carey, vocal coaches say, get their chops from a blend of training and their innately pleasing and distinct voices.

Carey's deep, sultry, low notes and seemingly superhuman high-end wailing may seem effortless, but her voice has been cultivated over years -- beginning with coaching from her mother growing up.

"It's just like an athlete. Were you born able to run the 500-meter dash?" said Marianna Vagnini, a Naugatuck voice instructor who has traveled as a professional soprano and will begin teaching students at Waterbury Arts Magnet School this year. "When Mariah Carey came out, she didn't sound like anyone else, which is what made her."

Echoed Richard Gard, a composer, musician, teacher, producer and conductor who oversees the music department at Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury: "It helps what you're born with. I'd say more than a good voice, you might be born with a distinctive voice."

Both Gard and Vagnini tutor students to find their own voices, rather than emulating Mariah's, Sinatra's -- or anyone else's for that matter.

Once a singer has found his or her own sound, proper training can expand performers' abilities to span the scale. But not quite to the seven-octave range Carey's publicity handlers have said she can achieve. Several vocal coaches have expressed doubt over the supposed seven-octave voice.

"You'd have to be about 10 feet tall to have that range," said Gard, explaining the capacity for seven octaves as close to a grand piano's capability, from bottom of the keyboard to top. He called a three-octave range both huge and rare. 

A Web site that aims to debunk urban legends even has addressed this topic, with the snopes.com entry granting Carey perhaps six octaves. Others are not as generous, estimating Carey's range at anywhere between three and five octaves.

Other artists who have been said to possess extraordinary range in excess of three octaves include Peruvian singer Yma Sumac, whose Web site claims her as at least once capable of five octaves, and Julie Andrews, whose voice has been categorized by sources as in the four- to five-octave range.

"The human voice is a miraculous instrument," said Vagnini, adding that whatever Carey's range, she ranks undeniably among those with voices that impress. "She definitely raised the bar in what people expect to hear in a pop singer. She's certainly a bright light in pop history."
Source: Republican-American (All rights reserved)
Posted on August the 24th.

The poor crew lighting guy got his ass handed to him by Mariah (unwarranted though). Mariah stopped Fly Like A Bird b/c the lighting guy didn't put the spot light on the Pastor. However, it turned out that the Pastor was actually lost somewhere back stage. Mariah was LIVID...stating how they went over this and it was supposed to be a special moment! Then someone politely came up to Mariah and informed her that the Pastor was missing. Mariah replied, ohhh...maybe he didn't like my first outfit, CUTE!!! 

Although, she demanded they go find the Pastor...'give me a time when you will have him out here'...'I need to know how long'...'In MINUTES'....Mariah definitely had a DIVA MOMENT!! After several minutes the Pastor was found and the show went on.
Source: kaboyz
Posted on August the 24th.

In her usual style, Carey approached each song as a rigorous exercise, bending and stretching notes extravagantly, elaborating each melody with as many ornate phrases and fancy filigrees as she could conceive. 

Essentially, Carey was doing with her voice what Madonna does with her body. 

Carey meant such moves to make up for the fact that, unlike most modern divas, she doesn't dance. She doesn't even move with much grace. But at least she poses with a certain campy charm.

Long attuned to modern trends, Carey made sure that last night's show wasn't just about music. She had a passel of backup dancers to shimmy and shake, a deejay to fiddle around between numbers, and enough costume changes to fill a segment on "Project Runway."

Unfortunately, such distractions often wound up harming the show's pace. Seldom did Carey perform more than two or three numbers before vanishing backstage, while DJ Clue, or some video backdrop, carried the day.

The deejay motif carried over into the songs. Perhaps nervous about her age (36), Carey put even more youthful hip-hop inflections into her music at this show than on her CDs. 

Both Jay-Z and Sean (Diddy) Combs showed up as guests. But the style wasn't always flattering, often slowing the beat and flattening Carey's already narrow melodies. Songs like the opener, "It's Like That," made such severe concessions to the beat, there wasn't much room left for the tune.

By contrast, Carey's vocals certainly showed range. The woman can hit most any note on the scale. The deeper question is, should she.

On hit after hit (from "Dreamlover" to "Honey"), Carey threw her voice around with the giddy abandon of a crazed seal leaping through hoops.

It's a supremely influential approach. "American Idol" would be unimaginable without it. But for all her physical dynamism, Carey in concert generated no heat.
Source: New York Daily News (All rights reserved)
Posted on August the 24th.

Even by Carey's standards, her outfit was revealing: black, bikini-style lingerie wrapped in a sheer, billowing cape and high heels to match. Carey has been promising spectacle on this tour, and she obviously meant to deliver.

The concert marked the first of three area dates for Carey (she's scheduled to play Continental Airlines Arena Sunday and Jones Beach on Sept. 3). It also helped mark a new phase in her career. Once a soft pop singer, Carey has become a full-fledged hip-hop artist.

Carey has long dabbled in R&B and soul, and on past albums she's enlisted the help of Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Ludacris and others from the hip-hop world. But "The Emancipation of Mimi" (Island), featuring production by Jermaine Dupri, The Neptunes and others, is a whole new ball game. Carey sings in rap-inflected cadences, serves as her own breathy chorus crooner and proves she knows how to ride a bass-heavy dance track.

It's no accident that Carey chose another crossover hip-hop artist, the Jamaican dance hall singer Sean Paul, for her opening act. Paul showed up with a live band and ran through a 40-minute set that touched on pretty much all of his hits, from the lilting "I'm Still in Love" to the hard-hitting "Temperature," from his new album "The Trinity." He's not much of a performer, but the strength of his material was all that seemed to matter to the crowd.

Like a true hip-hopper, Carey called in more than a few favors for this show, bringing out Da Brat, Trey Lorenz and Diddy to assist her on songs. Power 105's DJ Clue manned the decks. The biggest surprise of the night was Jay-Z, who showed up to sashay his way through "Heartbreaker." As Carey hit her famous high notes, Jay-Z stretched out his arms and bowed repeatedly.

The second-biggest surprise was who almost didn't show up. After changing into a floor-length gown, Carey brought out a choir from the True Worship Church of East New York to perform on "Fly Like a Bird," but stopped the song short when the Rev. Clarence Keaton failed to walk on stage and deliver a mini-sermon. "I'm not trying to be a diva, but we went over this," Carey called out to her crew. "He's not here? Maybe he didn't like my first outfit."

Carey may not be emancipated from temper tantrums, but with "Mimi" she's found an appealing new way to express herself. 
Source: Newsday (All rights reserved)
Heroes note: "He's not here? Maybe he didn't like my first outfit." 
Posted on August the 24th.

In a voiceover accompanying the onscreen rollercoaster ride, Carey described the ups and downs that have defined her 15-year career-record-breaking hits and massive popularity, massively huge missteps (think "Glitter") and hideaways from the public at large.
But Carey didn’t become the best-selling female artist of all time by accident. And if her latest album, the multi-platinum monster "Emancipation of Mimi," wasn’t proof enough that she’s back at the top of her game, then Monday night’s two-hour set was.

The newly svelte songstress appeared onstage clad in a fuschia bikini and sheer black pseudo-cape to the tune of "It’s Like That," a hip hop-flavored number that signaled her rise from the ashes in 2005.

Video appearances by hip hop icons throughout the performance hinted at Carey’s crossover appeal, with Jay-Z mugging onscreen during "Heartbreaker," the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard rap-growling on "Fantasy" and Mase getting face time on the heavy funk of "Honey."

As good as those songs were, Carey was at her best during slow to midtempo ballads like "Don’t Forget About Us," the gospel-tinged "Fly Like a Bird" and "Always Be My Baby," her first song with hitmaker Jermaine Dupri.
Fans who had recently jumped on the Mimi bandwagon-and judging by the age of the audience, there were many-were unfamiliar with the inspirational "Make It Happen," not to mention her first single, "Vision of Love."

Thankfully everyone knew the words to the Jackson 5 classic, "I'll Be There" featuring Carey’s protégé Trey Lorenz, who hung around to perform a tribute to the late Luther Vandross during one of Carey’s four wardrobe changes.

Those wardrobe changes, along with backup dancers, a live backing band, and a winding staircase onstage, certainly didn’t hurt the ambiance Monday night.

But it was The Voice, five octaves of glass-shattering power, that carried the show, never better than on Carey’s final song, "We Belong Together."

Tearing up the ballad in a skin-tight gold gown and stiletto heels, Carey proved she remains one of few female performers with sex appeal and a set of pipes to match.
Source: The Sun Chronicle (All rights reserved)
Posted on August the 23rd.

The crowd of mostly teen girls was warmed up by the sexy voice and suggestive moves of Sean Paul, who performed a string of his hits, beginning with "Like Glue." Along with his four backup dancers, he brought enough energy to the stage to have everyone out of their seats during his entire 45-minute set. 

After a long 75-minute intermission, the curtains -- adorned with the initials "MC" in pink glitter -- opened to reveal a stage fit for a queen: Mariah had arrived.

Beginning with her hit "It's Like That," Carey announced her mission for the night -- "I came to have a party" -- and the crowd's deafening screams showed they were ready for just that. Decked out in skimpy purple-glitter booty shorts and crop top, Carey hit those infamous high notes and delighted the crowd with their favorite songs, old and new. 

The elegant two-level stage came complete with four video screens, a star-filled backdrop with a disco beaded curtain and was topped off with "MC" right in the center. It was a perfect fit for the diva who has poise and confidence, as Carey clearly did. 

There was a sweet moment when Carey slowed it down and sang the ballad "My All" as she stood on the stairs in a single spotlight. Shadows of a couple dancing behind a screen set the mood for this older hit, as fans sang along with the song about wishing for one more moment with the one you love. 

With a quick change back to the upbeat "Shake It Off," lights spelling "Mimi" came down onto the stage. Carey danced in front of them, teasing the audience with a moment of pole-dancing. 

She took it way back with her first single from 1990, "Vision of Love" and told the audience that second show of her career was in Boston and was the best of her life. She chatted with fans as if they were all good friends and even took a moment to sing "Happy Birthday" to a male fan in the audience. 

Carey made a number of diva-style wardrobe changes into sexy-yet-elegant dresses that still didn't stint on glitter. Midway through the show, she moved to a smaller stage in the middle of floor and the audience went wild with the chance to get a better view of their idol. 

As the show drew to a close, Carey dedicated "Hero" to anyone who has been through any tough situation and had the audience singing along and waving their hands in the air. For an upbeat ending, a full gospel choir in white robes joined Mariah and her dancers on stage for "Make It Happen." 

Carey then graced the stage in a skin-colored, full-length dress for the encore song, "We Belong Together." As she said good night to Boston and walked off the stage to "Butterfly," glitter cannons exploded sending pink and purple butterfly shaped glitter over the audience -- a graceful ending for a diva-licious evening. 
Source: Lowell Sun (All rights reserved)
Posted on August the 23rd.

He racks up hit singles the way UPS drivers collect parking tickets. Jamming through dancehall hits such as “We Be Burnin’ ” and “Get It On,” Paul energized people who came to hear him as well as Carey die-hards waiting patiently for their hero. 
 Carey’s intro was hysterically dramatic. She emerged to a recording of her waxing poetic about how life is like a roller coaster. When her fans finished wiping their tears, they braced for the show. 
In a salute to rappers who have laid verses on her most popular tracks, Carey paid homage to MCs she’s collaborated with.During “Heartbreaker,” Jay-Z cameos filled the video monitors, and for “Fantasy,” deceased rap star Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s verse was given a full salute. 

But Carey’s catalog is even more impressive than her vocals and the MCs who have complemented her choruses. For every dance track she flung in the beginning of her set, she unfurled a “Vision of Love” or “Hero.” Her fame might have briefly faded from 2000 to 2003, but Carey’s vocal chords never left the building. 
 No track triggered more tears and screams than “Always Be My Baby,” a song Carey let her fans sing most of. Halfway ballads such as “Honey” inspired tears, but it took her hit “Hero” to trigger the night’s most significant emotions. 

There are rumors about how Carey resents her fans and how she disrespects the backroom talents who engineer her career. But at a venue as mammoth as the Garden, none of that seemed relevant so long as she reigned over the crowd as expected.
Source: Boston Herald (All rights reserved)
Posted on August the 22nd.

Whether it was the offhand, almost unconscious, rapping along with video of duet partners like Jay-Z and the late ODB, the teasing of her band and dancers, or the singing of a sincere ``Happy Birthday" to a devoted sign-waving fan, Carey was at her most likable when she seemed to be enjoying herself as opposed to counting in her head how many hip shimmies she had to do during ``Shake it Off."

Of course those hip shimmies ( Carey's and those of her considerably more rhythmically gifted sextet of dancers), the peek-a-boo costumes, the mammoth silver-and-white stage dotted with a quintet of video screens, and the big hair were all part of the spectacle one expects. And the singer worked the stage with as much grace as a scantily clad woman in towering heels can.

The pageantry was a bit silly at times, including the requisite intro video of Carey comparing her life to a roller coaster and then falling through the clouds. Trey Lorenz made an ``entrance" to huge cheers for Carey's lovely cover of the Jackson 5's ``I'll Be There," but he had been on stage all night as part of her trio of backing vocalists. (A medley by the genial Lorenz meant to promote his forthcoming album somewhat defeated the purpose by consisting solely of covers of Luther Vandross and Gnarls Barkley, but presented an excellent restroom break for many in the crowd.)

The generous set list drew on her collection of 17 number one hits, with emphasis on her more recent rhythm and blues successes. Mariah and the crowd, 12,232 strong, followed every impressive trill, belt, and canine whistle with rapt devotion and vigorous sing-alongs.

She hit her breakthrough anthem ``Vision of Love" early and strong, summoning up a gospel grit that felt earned and would recur on songs like ``Fly Like a Bird," the raucous, choir-assisted set-closer ``Make it Happen," and, during a medley, an earthy duet of ``Thank God I Found You" with Lorenz. That one particular felt like a glimpse at what takes place on the tour bus, two friends harmonizing with easy joy.

The more calculated balladry of ``Hero" and up-tempo, breezy numbers like ``Heartbreaker," ``Fantasy" -- sung on a B-stage near the back of the arena -- and ``Honey" lacked that same grit, but the former drew a fervent ovation and the latter trio got the hips moving and the crowd jumping. ``We Belong Together " ended the show in a spurt of hitching dance grooves and glittery purple confetti.
Source: Boston Globe (All rights reserved)
Posted on August the 22nd.

It was in good shape last night, but it's one thing to have such a force of nature; it's another to know what to do with it. And I'm not talking about the oversinging she's so often accused of; that's her deal, and if you can't get used to that, well, this deep into her career you've given it a fair shot. (It only grated on the encore, "We Belong Together.") She's still head-and-shoulders above the generation of American Idol doofuses trying to follow in her footsteps.

But on the hip-hop-influenced material that's come to dominate her recorded output, such as the set opener "It's Like That," "Heartbreaker" (with video rap cameo from Jay-Z) and "Fantasy" (with video rap cameo from Ol' Dirty Bastard), she fell victim to the Van Halen syndrome -- imitating one's imitators and undermining one's own strengths -- sounding like any one of a number of thin-voiced contemporary R&B divas, with a couple of the trademark Carey helium notes thrown in so you know whom you're dealing with, but to not much other discernible effect.

The Voice was used to better effect on opulent R&B such as the old hit "Dreamlover" and "Fly Like a Bird" and "I Wish You Knew" (from last year's The Emancipation of Mimi album), when she wasn't singing like she had something to prove, which unfortunately isn't nearly as often as you'd think it would be at this stage of her career. This is the stuff very few singers Carey's age or younger are doing, because very few can handle it. But there wasn't enough last night, and too many forgettable recent hits.

The pacing of the show was a bit of a mess. The middle of the set was loaded with filler, including a DJ spotlight and a three-song set from "I'll Be There" vocal partner Trey Lorenz. The end of the show was bogged down with another DJ spotlight, snippets of songs such as "I Wish You Knew" and forced banter from Carey before finishing up with "Hero" and "Make It Happen."

When The Emancipation of Mimi came out last year, more than a few people wondered exactly what it was she claimed to be emancipated from. Similarly, the introductory video to last night's concert featured footage of a roller coaster with a voiceover from Carey about how life was like, well, a roller coaster. Ups and downs, hold on, that sort of thing.

That was pretty much it for the philosophizing, and while that may have been just as well, most of the material seemed to come from a mindset most commonly expressed in the margins of a notebook during third-period algebra: Look inside you and be strong. I'm gonna shake you off. Baby, don't forget about us. Make it happen.

Which is a shame. At this point, with her raw talent, Carey should be leading, not following. Sure, Emancipation was last year's top seller. But last night's show didn't leave the impression of a young singer baring her soul or an older singer baring her scars. Or much of anything. Except The Voice.
Source: Prov